Christ at the Centre Obedience to Christ Steve McClure WHEEL ILLUSTRATION OVERVIEW I 2CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST Purpose: To clarify the motion of the Christian life; each part representing a key component of a vibrant Christian life (1)How we relate to ourselves (Christ at the centre/Obedience) (2)How we relate to God (Bible/Prayer) (3)How we relate to one another (Fellowship/Witnessing). WHEEL ILLUSTRATION OVERVIEW II 3 The Volitional Dimension: How you relate to yourself The Hub is Christ at the Centre (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 2:20) The Rim is the Obedient Christian life (John 14:21, Rom 12:1) The Vertical Dimension: How you relate to God The Word Spoke (Joshua 1:8, 2 Tim 3:16) The Prayer Spoke (John 15:7, Phil 4:6-7) The Horizontal Dimension: How you relate to others The Witnessing Spoke (Matt 4:19, Rom 1:16) The Fellowship Spoke (Heb 10:24-25, Matt 18:20) CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST SPRING TERM PLAN Thurs 7 th Jan Christ at the Centre: Obedience to Christ (Steve) Thurs 28 th Jan Witnessing Relating to the Lost (Pieter) Thurs 11 th Feb Word of God: Relating to God 1 (Steve) Thurs 25 th Feb Prayer: Relating to God II (Adam) Thurs 10 th Mar Fellowship: Relating to the Body of Christ (Lydia) Thurs 17 th Mar Recapping the series / Easter Party (Steve) 4CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST 1. CHRIST THE CENTRE 5 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST (a) REMEMBER YOUR FIRST LOVE! 6 Ephesus I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Revelation 2:2-4 Laodicea So, because you are lukewarmneither hot nor cold I am about to spit you out of my mouth Revelation 3:16 CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST (b) FIX YOUR EYES UPON JESUS! 7 One thing I ask from the L ORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the L ORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the L ORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2 CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST (c) RE-ORIENTATE YOUR LIVES! 8 Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a ruin? Now this is what the L ORD Almighty says: Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it. Haggai 1:4-7 Laodicea Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:22 CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST (d) TEAR DOWN YOUR IDOLS! 9 When we build our lives on anything but God, that thing though a good thing becomes an enslaving addiction, something we have to have in order to be happy. Tim Keller Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that dont really matter. Francis Chan CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST 2. OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST 10 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory Colossians 3:1-3 CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST (a) OBEDIENCE: CHARACTER OR CONDUCT? 11 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Godthis is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will ishis good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST (b) OBEDIENCE: WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY? 12 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Psalm 119:9-11, CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST (c) OBEDIENCE: MOTIVATED BY GRACE 13 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age Titus 2:12-13 Dont you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?... You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:16 & 18 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. Romans 6:22 CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST (d) OBEDIENCE: THE PROOF OF LORDSHIP 14 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them John 14:21 Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built Luke 6:46-48 CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST SUMMING UP 15 CHRIST AT THE CENTRE (a) Remember your First Love! (b) Fix Your eyes upon Jesus (c) Re-orientate your lives (d) Tear down your idols CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST OBEDIENCE (a) Character or conduct? (b) Whose Responsibility? (c) Motivated by Grace (d) Proof of Lordship Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22 QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT 16 1.To what extent is Jesus the centre of your life right now? 2.What would it take for Jesus to be more central in your life and what would that look like? 3.How are you seeing God transforming you from the inside out transforming your inward character and values before transforming your outward behaviour? 4.What aspects of your life do you need to work on in 2016? CHRIST AT THE CENTRE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST